Is Tougher Airport Screening Going Too Far?
Is Tougher Airport Screening Going Too Far?
WSJ 7-2-09
The Transportation Security Administration has moved beyond just checking for weapons and explosives. It’s now training airport screeners to spot anything suspicious, and then honoring them when searches lead to arrests for crimes like drug possession and credit-card fraud.
But two court cases in the past month question whether TSA searches—which the agency says have broadened to allow screeners to use more judgment—have been going too far.
A federal judge in June threw out seizure of three fake passports from a traveler, saying that TSA screeners violated his Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure. Congress authorizes TSA to search travelers for weapons and explosives; beyond that, the agency is overstepping its bounds, U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley said.
read the rest here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204556804574261940842372518.html
I can tell you from personal firsthand experience, the TSA makes the IRS look like a bunch of kittens. From draconian airline shipping and boarding regulations to the abuses/illegal activities outlined in the article, this agency seems to think they are above all law and reason. They have cost me more in additional operating expenses, increased my paperwork load signifigantly, and caused many problems with routine business activities. A few years ago they tried and failed(barely) to eliminate all cargo from commercial passenger flights. Customs and the IRS(both angencies I have had extensive dealings with) are easier to work with, and thats saying something.
Again, another example of government using scare tactics and fear to strip you of your personal liberties and obstruct private business activities.
